Secondly I am a doctor, a very proud doctor and I 100% believe and live by the Declaration of Geneva, in particular:

“I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;

I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;

I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat”

Today I am ashamed to be in the same medical profession as more then 150 “doctors” in Australia who have signed a submission that homosexual marriage reform will lead to decreased health outcomes for children. I am disgusted that 23 of these signatories are fellow GPs here in the state of Victoria and another who happens to be the deputy chief psychiatrist, also Victorian.

To bring you up to speed, I’d like to highlight an article from this weekend’s paper about the group “Doctors For The Family“, a group of Christian doctors who have openly declared their belief that homosexual law reform, in particular the removal of the current marriage discrimination, would be detrimental to the lives of children.

But former national AMA president and gay rights activist Kerryn Phelps said the doctors should “hang their heads in shame” and that Prof George’s position on the board of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission should be reviewed.

“They should immediately disqualify themselves from dealing with matters of sexuality, as they clearly have no idea about its complexities.”

As persuasive their arguments would appear, sadly the data they cite as the backbone of their platform is cherry picked, flawed and out of date. As noted by Melbourne researcher, Associate Professor Paula Gerber the current research shows the exact opposite.

“Psychologists Susanne Johnson and Elizabeth O’Conner found that gay and lesbian parents tend to be more responsive to their children, more child oriented, and more egalitarian in their sharing of the workload, characteristics associated with a more positive child outcome.”

“…the highly regarded National Lesbian Longitudinal Family Study has found that “adolescents living with lesbian parents function as well as, or sometimes better than, those reared by opposite-sex parents”.”

“The American Psychological Association has come out in support of same-sex marriage because it has read the empirical research that demonstrates the clear health benefits that flow from allowing same sex couples to marry, includingHerdt, G. & Kertzner, R. (2006).”

Australian Medical Association president Dr Steve Hambleton has distanced himself and the AMA from “Doctors For The Family”. Quoted by the ABC:

“There is a growing body of evidence that says there’s no difference in their psychological development, their general health, their sexual orientation,” he said.

Dr Hambleton says the opinions expressed in the submission do not reflect the views of the wider medical community, saying there are nearly 90,000 doctors in Australia.

He says doctors must be mindful of putting their opinions forward because they hold influential positions in society.

“That’s part of the reason why it’s a bit disturbing that these opinions have been proffered. It’s certainly not the opinion of the AMA body of doctors,” he said.

So we are left with a small yet loud group of Australian doctors noted to be using out of date evidence to pursue personal and religious agendas. As noted above, their chosen spokesperson GP Lachlan Dunjey said declaring their views publicly would not affect how they treated patients.

This brings up two questions.

Can they honestly say they will be able to treat their gay and lesbian patients with the same respect and care as their heterosexual patients?

If indeed these viewpoints are not going to influence their medical decisions and judgement why did they choose to band as a group of doctors to push their agenda?

As a proud gay doctor I highly recommend you scrutinize the process you go through when it comes to choosing a doctor. Will your chosen doctor be able to offer you the best, non biased care despite your sexuality? Will your doctor be up to date with gay and lesbian health issues? Will your doctor be truly representing your care and needs beyond the time spent in the consult rooms?

In case you are wondering if your doctor is one of this minority group, I highly suggest reviewing the Doctors For The Family submission where the names of all who signed is a matter of public record. You can down load a copy of the submission here at the Australian Senate Website.

If indeed your doctor is on this list please feel free to ask them if they are able to respresent and care for all your needs. Biological, psychological and social. If the answer is “no”, “well perhaps” or anything other than an enthusiastic yes, then it’s time to find another doctor.

Every day I will continue to do my part for gay and lesbian health.

Every day I am living by the tenet “at first do no harm”. I wonder if the doctors in the submission above can say the same.

Well said George! This straight, divorced, father, male nurse, so-called Christian supports gay marriage and gay adoption. I wonder if the ‘experts’ and signatories have compared the mental health and development of children raised in a loving gay family as opposed to children in a neglectful, feral straight family? Love the tats too mate, more Docs need sleeves!

The above facebook group already has a collection of doctors for marriage equality with greater numbers than those who signed that submission in a very short period of time.

I feel ashamed that members of our profession can be so small minded and can be so while claiming that their beliefs are based on scientific fact. If you’re against equal rights because of your personal or religious beliefs then at least have the guts to stand up for your beliefs. Don’t hide behind faulty evidence and pretend it’s in the patients best interest. I hope they all utilise better evidence based medicine in their medical practice than they did for that submission.

I would bet that these are all christian and muslim “doctors”. How they can claim to be professionals, when like all fundamentalists their first commitment is to a vicious bronze-age superstition and its codified predjudices… arrogant pricks.

I’m not normally one who gets invested in politics or passionate in activism. I’m a cold blooded lawyer who looks at things analytically (often much to my own demise).

So leaving aside any bigotry and prejudice which may or may not be attributed to the 150 signatories, there is a fundamental flaw to their logic which brings into question their abilities to reason and analyse with objectivity, skills in which doctors would be expected to have a high level of proficiency. This is perhaps of greater concern to those placed under their care, than the extent of any bigotry which may be manifest in their individual beliefs.

Their sole argument is that children reared by opposite-sex parents perform better than those reared by same-sex parents under a set of supposedly objective parameters. Let’s, for argument’s sake, accept this as truth. In this case, the “problem” would, logically, be an excessive number of children being brought up in same-sex families. The solution, then, would be to reduce or eliminate children in such “predicaments” by, for example, depriving same-sex couples the means of having children, or outlawing same-sex parents from having children at all.

That this would bring society back 100 years is for another debate (if the absurdity of it alone is not apparent enough).

But how is this in any way relevant to marriage equality? Resisting marriage equality does not in any way reduce the number of children currently reared by same-sex parents, nor curtail the ability of same-sex couples to have children in future. Children will not be magically grafted from same-sex parents to opposite-sex parents and be made “good” just because it is not legal for same-sex couples to marry.

Same-sex people will become parents, and they will be however good or bad at parenting, and their children will be raised by them, and these children will perform however well or poorly at some “parameters” – WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO MARRY.

As health professionals, whose sole concern is ostensibly “to ensure a healthy future for our children”, shouldn’t the 150’s real consideration be this – Whether children brought up by same-sex parents who are able to to fully express and recognise their commitment and love to each other, might stand to do better than if said parents were denied this ability?

How did this simple logic escape 150 highly trained and intelligent doctors? Or perhaps there is no logical way to dress up emotive prejudices under the auspices of children’s well-being.

The funny thing is all if history’s tyrants child molesters serial killers murderers rapists crooks frauds cheats wife beaters seem to have been raised by conventional parents (if raised at all) but then there is thus far no track record of a large enough sample of child red raised by same-sex couples. Maybe they will all turn out to be like Einstein or Michael Jordan. Oh and much sodomy is perpetrated by heterosexual men?

As a nurse & a specialist mental health nurse – I am not surprised by the comments made by members of the medical profession nor would it surprise me if a number of my colleagues also supported this archaic view. It continues to amaze me in this day and age how some health professionals can be so uninformed, homophobic and judgmental.

Although I am heterosexuality I have friends and relatives that are gay and lesbian and I hope that if they want the opportunity to get married and have children that it happens for them. They should share the joy that a baby brings and the misery of living with teenagers.

Parenting has nothing to do with your sexuality, or even your blood. It is about an adult or adults making a commitment to unconditionally love a child through good times and bad and to be there when the going gets tough.

There are plenty of heterosexuals out there that don’t meet this criteria nor should they ever be allowed within 20 metres of a child, but because they have “A Pass in Puberty” and are living in a relationship of a man and woman, they automatically meet criteria to be parents. That does not make sense.

All I can say to the doctors that signed this petition “Is hang up your stethoscopes and don’t bother re-registering to practice” “You are all wrong headed – and your ignorance should deem you inappropriate to practice”.

George, You are an amazing and eloquent man. These Dr’s should remember the Gay nurses that they work with male and female and look one of us in the eye and say the same thing.
P.S.–You are a HOT DOC and you can take my Ob’s any time ;-).

You’re second point is very incisive “why did they choose to band as a group of doctors to push their agenda?”. Most likely you show more insight into their motivation for this action than they do themselves.
Hopefully some of the doctors in this group will read this article and learn something from seeing their argument assessed (and dismantled) using logic and reason rather than bias and religiosity.

It’s always sad to see being a doctor, a position of privilege and power to be used as a battering ram for bigoted personal beliefs. I hope people do tell those who signed that they are being named and shamed, not hiding behind the hope that people won’t be bothered to read the submission.

medicine is a science. is it really outdated data that caused these doctors to make this submission? or are there other factors, i.e., religion, involved? the next logical question must be: will such non-scientific influence get in the way of these doctors providing appropriate, modern, scientifically-based diagnosis, treatment and care of patients?

Sadly, George – it’s my experience that these people would most definitely ‘believe’ they could say the same. They tend to be so blind to the devastating consequences of their bigoted, homophobic attitudes and remarks (as I’m sure you know, in psychiatry we call it “lacking insight”) that they would sit opposite you at a table, gaze at you in what they might consider a warm and christian-like way (remembering that at best they abhor the behaviour, and NOT the person!) and tell you boldly and blatantly to your face that they believe they live by the tenet ‘do no harm’. The fact that our children and youth are committing horrendous and violent acts on themselves and completing suicide by the thousands and mostly related to the same kind of homophobic bullying would seem to totally escape them. If I believed in “God” and the “Devil” – then I’d say that these people were themselves the walking definition of evil. It’s disgusting to think that Prof. Kuruvilla George has held such an important and powerful position while hiding this inner wolf. And how deeply seated must his own mental health challenges be.

Thankfully his inner wolf is being pulled out into the sun for everyone to see. Given his position not only as deputy chief psychiatrist but also on an anti-discrimination board I hope, and I will be monitoring he is asked to declare all his interests and conflicts.

George Forgan-Smith This is a brilliant article George…thank you. I saw James’s response to it first (it came up in my news feed) which lead me to your article. I truly hope the scrutiny you have shown extends into the appropriate sectors, to the point where the hateful individuals behind this are exposed and held accountable

Luke Fruit Pastille:
Kuruvilla George will continue as the deputy chief psychiatrist in Victoria. This is a position appointed by the minster of mental health Mary Wooldridge.
Her contact is http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/id/1692
I urge you to let the minister know your thoughts about having a homophobe in such an important position.

Dot points: gay and lesbian people have higher rates of depression anxiety and suicide.

The public needs to be confident that the role of chief of psychiatry and the deputy are 100% non biased as they deal with complaints.

This man has already demonstrated a stance showing lack of care and bias against homosexuals.

Can we feel confident in his ability to deal with issues if the consumer is gay in a non judgmental or nom biased way? This is damaging to the department and to mental health services in Victoria.

If you have five minutes please send a submission and get this man out of a position where he can do more damage to gays and lesbians.

I know! Imagine if 150 christian doctors actually went to country and set up free clinics for people who can’t afford to see a doctor or something… Surely a better outcome then what they are currently doing.

I think the most telling word in the Doctor’s submission is the use of “believe” – used 5 times. I’m not interested in their belief – show me the evidence (as opposed to the view of columnists from The Age and speeches by politicians).

Actually, to add a bit more.
I am a heterosexual male. Always remember there are many many heteros that support marriage equality. I understand it would be easy to lose hope, but chin-up, there are a huge percentage of the population that support you guys and girls.

Appreciate it mate. 61% of the submissions were positive for gay marriage reform.
My concern is when people use a position of great responsibility as a battering ram for their bigoted views. It brings down the fantastic work so many doctors do…

Everybody is , I’m my opinion , encouraged to get fucked. Straight , gay or Martian , get officially fucked, do the paperwork, sign the contract, take the vows and then get fucked. They might find it a worthy exercise to tell those in power to get fucked the way they prefer. Hey Peter I know your going to get fucked and im sure you wouldn’t appreciate anybody telling you how or whom to get fucked with.

George – You are amazing…thank you for so eloquently responding to what has been said recently by these so-called doctors who made those outrageous and unfounded statements about gay and lesbian individuals and families. You are a wonderful and inspirational man and doctor…thank you for posting this. *Hugs*

If anyone reading this has discovered their doctor on the list of Doctors for Family, please don’t just abandon the practice. It’s ultimately not productive because the homophobic doctor won’t know why. I suggest the following:

1. Write to the practice manager to express your feelings about the doctor concerned and to advise of your intention not to continue with that doctor
2. Ask if there are other doctors in the practice who are known to be supportive of same-sex marriage
3. See the supportive doctor in future, or if there isn’t one, ask the practice to forward your records elsewhere
4. If you feel your doctor has behaved in a manner that’s unprofessional or indeed detrimental to your health, notify the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency

I’m a doctor, and one of the other doctors in my practice is one of the “Doctors for Family” who signed that document. I’m vehemently opposed to her views and in fact my same sex partner of 19 years and I plan to get married as soon as it’s legal. I’d be upset if anyone left our practice because of the homophobic views of my colleague – so make sure you talk to the practice before making any decisions. Be polite and respectful, too – they’ll take you a lot more seriously.

Let’s start a new group. Doctors for All the Family. Let’s talk about how support for marriage will improve the health and wellbeing of our gay and lesbian people and reduce mental health problems and the dreadful rates of suicide among people who have been marginalised and discriminated against for way too long. Let’s make it a call for kindness.

Well George I looked at that list. One of the doctors listed was in my medical class.
He is very young for his age (despite having gone through a postgraduate MBBS) and IMHO comes from a culture which blindly follows a particular shade of Christianity without questioning its flaws.

Why I found it surprising was that another member of our PBL (tutorial group of 10) is a very admirable out and proud gay man. I would have hoped that such close professional contact would have demonstrated to this signatory many reasons why it is naive to hold views that would lead someone to sign such a submission.

This senate submission is a sad reminder of how doctors’ religious beliefs and their homophobia can have a negative impact on their patients.

Congratulations on your stance and your wonderful article . I am aware of the controversy surrounding this subject at the moment and find the subject of ‘ gay marriage and parenting to be two different subjects though given the opportunity , they could be linked. As a gay male , I am often asked what my opinion is on the subject of gay marriage . My answer is probably quite different to a lot of gay people because I am more concerned about the legal stance that such a relationship would give each person. This is something that even straight couples can be denied when they are living in a de facto relationship so I see it as being equally important to them . Not being a legal professional , I can’t state all the laws that we are denied by being in a de facto relationship but there are a few that I know about from personal experience . Such as , when you are married you have all the rights to superannuation / death payouts . As a husband or wife , this right is afforded to you without question however if you are in a de facto relationship you will need to jump through more hoops especially in the absence of a will. The right to decide where and when and how a funeral is conducted is the absolute right of a husband or wife. I’m sure there are many more so what I am saying is that ‘ marriage’ is a legal contract so perhaps we should be persueiing our right to have the ability to form the same legal contract even if it is not called a marriage or union.
As far as parenting goes , that is another subject that is possibly no different to the argument that still persists over single parenting. Personally I don’t see a problem with children being raised in an atmosphere of love health and respect regardless of who is creating this

Even if gay marriages were legislated, I would still not be able to walk down the street and hold my lover’s hand without being stared at, spat at, verbally abused, and at risk of physical violence…… This society depresses me so deeply somedays that I can not leave my home. I am for all intensive purposes socially isolated and do not mix in society at all unless I have to because sooner or later my sexual orientation becomes an issue, something to be slagged off at or threatened with violence over. Its always been like that………..I have been punched, spat on, even sacked over being gay. ………. I know why gay people often kill themselves……..To me, all this so-called debate about gay marriage is just another smoke screen and way to divide and rule over people. And yet I still look forward to and dream of a society without discrimination and homophobia, but not in this lifetime at least……… But thank you George good doctor thank you…………..

There seems to be something off about this group using their medical credentials as ammunition. Saying “I’m a doctor and I know what I’m talking about” when what you really mean is “I’m part of the Christian right and this is what I believe” is putting a dangerous spin on your argument when you know full well that you live in a culture where people are trained from birth to trust the medical profession in all things. It’s cleverly taking advantage of this fact and its poisonous. Kerryn Phelps is right to be calling them on it but I feel that her approach is not going to win anyone over to her view.
With regard to the moot point of parenting, again, this argument is relying on convention rather than reality. Claiming that only a straight couple, a male and a female working together, can raise a child successfully excludes single parents altogether. It also assumes that the biological fact of reproduction is something sacred. My argument is that since gay couples have to go to more effort than most straight couples to have a child surely that indicates a higher level of commitment to the overall process? You’ll never find an accidental or unwanted pregnancy with a gay couple.
We need a licence to get a dog but … well, you’ve heard it before I’m sure.

Thank you, George. Absolutely spot on. The choice of ‘evidence’ is indeed risable. The real evidence all around me is of gay parents being fantastic parents. Understanding. Open. Accepting. I can see that. Where Christian ideology creeps in… I see people marginalised, labeled, for down… And so many gay young adults rejected and psychologically scarred by their parents who believe in something that lacks all decent evidence for it. Christianity. But it’s not just Christians of course who spout this type of perjorative nonsense. It’s other dyed in the wool Aussies who really should know better, too, who in this land of multiculturalism and acceptance for whatever reason have a problem with the concept of men and women being gay. Often it seems at best to be a ‘macho’ thing. A threat to the status quo. All I’m saying is that the mess that I see so many young people in- whose parents are a man and a woman- its soul destroying. Yet I don’t see this with the gay parents and their. Holden that I know. Old-fashioned heterosexual society is doing and has done so much damage- why aren’t these drs doing something useful about that? Maybe it’s time I moved down to Victoria and tried to help with the balance a bit? Steve

Groups such as these are on the wrong side of history; they’re not helpful to be sure and they may still be able to garner enough support with their erroneous claims to slow the march to true equality down; but, it is impossible in the long run to maintain the proposition that you stand for “Equality for Some”. As a 90 year old elder-statesmen of the Civil Rights Movement (an African-American) here in the States said the other day in regards to this very issue “equality for some is an oxymoron”.

I have often said anyone who says “research shows” in the media should have given a list of references that can be sighted as part of the program. But the media does not want this because conflict sells papers. The 150 have violated our human and civil rights and the way forward to be counter it is with trusted media and the masses sharing their lives with people of the rainbow and their families. As a dad of 3 we had to deal with people’s judgement of us. We were also approached by 60 mins to do a segment on the birth of our twins 3 years ago. We thought hard and knew we had to let middle Australia knows that gay and kids are a fabulous mix. We were scared what the out come would be. But it was fantastic. …except some of the traditional catholic blogs who sighted us as pederists and other nice things LOL But what’s good is anyone who is undecided about gays and children but has a fair mind and an open heart will come to the conclusion that it’s a good thing when they are given a choice of the nice gays with kids or this nasty hateful group. We are hopeful for the future and have made a big effort to help researchers across the world with their studies because we know in years to come we can quote and know its good research. On top of this there have now been 1,000 come home from India of which half are to gay dads. …now that’s a lot of good will ambassadors to break down prejudice.

They are much like National Organization for Marriage, here in the States; just a bunch of loons and quackers with too much media exposition, bullshit free expression with those organizations, they should be thrown in jail for a biased, hateful speech.